A: I tell them at the beginning of the season we have a 26-week schedule. In a perfect world they’d all get two total-body lifts a week or four lifts if they split it up (into upper/lower body). That’d be 52 lifts; 26 is not enough. I expect it’ll probably fall somewhere in between. Travel, extra-inning games, just the wear and tear of playing every day gets in the way. Realistically, it’s every third or fourth day.

Q: On average, how long do the workouts last.

A: In season, we keep it simple. About 20-30 minutes.

Q: Clayton Richards’ dedication to conditioning has been well documented. Is he the hardest worker on the team?

A: As far as his dedication to physical preparation, yes, and I don’t think anybody would be offended by me saying that. To the point there are times I tell him that less is more.

Q: Is after the game the optimum time for players to lift?

A: It is to me because they’re going to get more recovery time for the next game.

Q: Not counting a warm-up and cool down, John Q. Public has only 20 minutes to weight train. What do you recommend?

A: The disclaimer has to be, first, check with your physician. Because your time is limited, you want to work as many muscle groups as possible. To me, it would be a circuit workout of a squat, chin-ups, bench press (dumbbells or barbells), a shoulder press and a hamstring exercise. Only about 30 seconds rest between each set. Start out doing three sets of 10 reps, every other day or every third day.

Q: You played defensive tackle at the University of Rochester and finished fifth in the 242-pound class at the 1989 collegiate powerlifting championships. What were your personal bests in the three disciplines?

A: The squat, 655 pounds, 456 in the bench press and 640 in the dead lift.

Q: At a chiseled 6 feet, 230 pounds, you look like you could do some damage in an MMA cage. Have you had to step in when a fan was hassling a player?

A: I’m not really in the baseball secret service. But I guess if it came to taking one for one of the players, I would. I bounced at a bar for a long time when I was growing up. You learn the art of negotiation. Or you ruffle your feathers enough to make the other guy go away.

Q: The dinner question. Any four people. Who are you inviting?

A: My grandmother and grandfather on my mother’s side. Bruce Lee. He changed the principles of martial arts. Essentially, all the stuff you see in MMA is rooted in Bruce Lee’s philosophy, which was to learn as much as you can, then take what works for you. Absorb what is useful. Reject what is useless. And General Douglas MacArthur. It’d be cool to learn about his leadership skills.

Q: All-time favorite movie?

A: The Godfather I. Everything about it is good. The acting, the human element. Everything.

Q: Favorite book?

A: “Rogue Warrior” by Richard Marcinko, the first commander of SEAL Team 6.

Q: Your last meal. What are eating?

A: It’s got to be some spicy fried chicken, mashed potatoes with dirty rice. And pineapple upside down cake a la mode.